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9/9/11

Ride Home 9/9

[What everyone else said about this afternoon's weather]. It was a nice respite, though I've sort become accustomed to riding in the rain and I guess I could now move to Seattle or Portland or Conakry and feel totally fine.
The biking was otherwise the same with the same route as normal through the District and down to the bridge. I've noticed a couple of recurring trends on 37th, the first being many bikers wearing scrubs (one two days ago, three today). Hospital cycle chic, I guess. The other trend is that drivers consistently seem to turn left at S after having to follow me for a couple of blocks where the streets are too narrow to pass. I'm increasingly under the belief that they're turning left here solely to escape the fact that they're behind a cyclist. Does thinking this make me paranoid? Or am I just right?
Very long backups on 34th. I don't think that DDOT will finish that bike lane before I move, so I don't think I'll really get to take advantage of it (assuming it's ever actually completed), but here's my observation: where there's a bike lane, there's room for bicyclists. Where the bike lane stops, there isn't. Vehicularists will probably tell me just to wait in the long line of cars and deal with it, but I'd rather not. I can't say whether it'd be safer (the lane would still be in the door zone), but if the path were cleared, at least it'd be faster.
American flag bike socks? Check. Guy was pretty fast too.
Up the Custis for the first time in a while. Accidentally wheelsucked and realized it too late and only after some Pizza Boli's driver came barreling down Scott Street in a way that hinted that he didn't really plan on stopping prior to hitting us. I braked hard and then very slowly continued forward as the driver waved at me with a "of course I was going to stop, I think you overreacted and now you should just get out of my way because I'm delivering pizzas" look on his face. You know, that look.
Key Boulevard was pleasant, as usual. In the evening, it's packed with joggers and pedestrians and people walking dogs and pushing prams and just being outside. I don't know if it was deliberate, but it really seems like the residents have "taken back" the street and I'm much obliged to them for that, especially since I'm just passing through.
I'm done now. Have a nice weekend.